Acts 2:42 - Devoting Ourselves to Prayer

by the Rev’d Stephen Harnish

Rector, Parish of Leask and Shellbrook

Acts 2:42

And they devoted themselves

to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship,

to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

Our Bishop, Michael Hawkins, in recent months has stirred us in the Diocese of Saskatchewan with his rallying call found in Acts 2:42.  And they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayers.

Click to read more ...

Around the country: news briefs

Religious leaders support Edmonton's 10-year plan to end homelessness.

400 origami cranes at St. Peter’s church, when parishioners pray for victims earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Diocese of Toronto sends large gifts.

Archbishop at Anglican Fellowship of Prayer training conference June 7 to 10.

Click to read more ...

A Living Legacy: The Gift of Olive Middlemiss

by the Rev’d Pat Langlois

Rector of All Saints Church, Melfort

William Congreve said that “Music has charms to soothe the savage breast” and music certainly does touch the human soul in ways that leave a lasting remembrance. When asked to write an article for Living Legacy month, as the new Rector of All Saints Anglican Church in Melfort the name that immediately came to my mind was someone who had left a bequest to the church. However, when I asked several members of the congregation to suggest someone to feature in the article the name that came to mind was Olive Middlemiss.

Click to read more ...

10 Years of Anglican-Lutheran Communion

A new pastoral letter marks the 10th anniversary of full communion between Anglicans and Lutherans in both Canada and the United States. In 2001, the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) signed the Waterloo Declaration. In that same year The Episcopal Church (TEC) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) signed a similar agreement, Called to Common Mission.

The new pastoral letter reflects on these full communion relationships and is signed by Archbishop Fred Hiltz, Primate of ACC; Bishop Susan Johnson, National Bishop of ELCIC; Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori of TEC; and Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson of ELCA.

Click here to read the letter.

A New Opportunity for a Deeper Unity

by the Rev’d Rob Stringer

The Priest-in-charge of Holy Trinity, Meadow Lake & St. George’s, Loon Lake 

& The Interim Pastor of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (ELCiC)  

Faithful readers of The Saskatchewan Anglican will know that I serve as the Ecumenical Officer of the Diocese of Saskatchewan, a role that required little more of me than championing the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity every January, with an article in the Saskatchewan Anglican newspaper and on this website. Recent circumstances in the city where I live have forced me to put my ecumenism to good use.

Click to read more ...

May FYI from Diocesan Synod Office

Here is the news from around the Diocese this month:

Appointments

Mrs. Tracy Harper will be co-ordinating the VBS this coming summer.  If you are interested in hosting a Bible School please call her at 749-2229.

Upcoming Events

Click to read more ...

Back to Church Sunday Workshop Coming in June!

An Invitation for Christians to Gather in Prince Albert

June 3, 2011, 6:30 – 8:30 PM

at Carlton Comprehensive High School Lecture Theatre (665 – 28^th Street East)

A Training and Information Seminar with Seminar Leader Michael Harvey

Back to Church Sunday is about:

 * People who are not at church.

* Reaching them through people who are.

* One person inviting another.

* We act together “one message one day”

* We learn from feedback

This seminar is in anticipation of Back to Church Sunday September 2011.

Bishop Michael’s Response to the Diocesan Visitations

On April 17^th, 2010 the Executive Committee of our Diocese met for a Strategic Planning Day.  Out of that time together came a Draft Strategic Plan which was taken to the Parishes and Missions of the Diocese in the Fall Consultations.  I thank God for all the work and the wonderful and detailed feedback that I have received through the teams that visited in our communities. 

Several congregations were not included in the consultation due to weather and scheduling and I apologize on behalf of the Executive Committee for these omissions.  We need to continue to listen to one another, our brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the Diocese. 

Click to read more ...

Bishop Michael's Easter Message: Empty Cross and Empty Tomb

By the Rt. Rev. Michael Hawkins, Bishop of Saskatchewan

The most common symbols of Easter are an empty cross and empty tomb, the instruments of execution and burial. 

Click to read more ...

LaRonge Sunday School in Action

Children thoroughly enjoyed decorating cupcakes for Valentine’s DayPhotos submitted by Faye Arthurson

Here are a few photos, showing what the LaRonge Sunday School students have been up to in the past few months.

Click to read more ...

Ordination of Stephen Harnish to the Priesthood

Back Row, L-R: Pastor Doug Schmirler (ELCiC), Debbie Topping, The Rev’d Rob Stringer, The Rev’d Chris Harper, The Very Rev’d Ken Davis, The Rev’d Norbert Haukenfeurs, The Rev’d Gethin Edward, The Rev’d Don Skinner, The Rev’d Dr. David Mercer (Diocese of Fredericton). Middle Row, L-R: The Rev’d Patricia Langlois, The Rev’d Stephen Harnish, The Rt. Rev’d Michael Hawkins, The Rev’d Steven Page, The Rev’d Joanne Beacon. Front Row, L-R: Ryan Harnish, Liam Harnish.by Lorette Palm

Parish of Leask and Shellbrook

On March 18^th at 7 pm, the Reverend Stephen Ronald Harnish was ordained to the holy order of Priest by the Right Reverend Michael Hawkins, Bishop of Saskatchewan.

Click to read more ...

April FYI from Diocesan Synod Office

Executive Committee Meeting Highlights

The following motions were passed at the executive meeting:

The Executive affirmed the priorities in the Bishop’s Response to Visitations and committed funds to initiate and offer:

1.  Bible Study Leadership training and the distribution of study resources

2.  Two Training Events for Lay Readers (one centrally and the other regionally)  

3.  Back to Church Sunday planning event June 3, with Sunday event September 25

4.  Preparing and distributing Stewardship Education materials

Click to read more ...

Okema Fundraiser at Lily Plain

It's Happening at Lily Plain

• There will be a banquet on Saturday, April 16th in Lily Plain.
• Cabin Leader training is scheduled for the morning.
• Then children's activities start at 2 pm, and the banquet starts at 6 pm.

It all takes place at the Lily Plain Cooperative Hall, 20 km west of Prince Albert on Highway 302.

For posters, ticket costs, or more information, see the Okema website and click on the event in the list.

Northern Manitoba Indigenous leaders commit to area mission

Indigenous Anglican leaders in northern Manitoba have committed to developing an area mission that would include sections from the dioceses of Brandon and Keewatin. At a Feb. 12 meeting in Opaskwayak Cree Nation, Man., representatives from 25 Anglican churches agreed that by Dec. 31, 2011, they would raise more than $34,000, establish a regional sacred circle gathering, and elect a bishop.

Click here for more information.

March FYI from Diocesan Synod Office

Executive Committee Highlights

Mamuwe isi Miywachimowin – The Indigenous Council resolved and forwarded a copy of the proposed “Together in the Gospel” to the Executive Committee for its approval.  The Executive Committee meets on March 10, 2011.

Appointments

Click to read more ...

Want to learn altar linen embroidery?

The diocesan synod office is hosting a class in WHITEWORK - white embroidery done on white linen, used for Church Altar Linens. The details:

Who's invited: anyone interested in learning this skill. Teacher: Jean Seggie

When: every Wednesday afternoon in April, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Where: Synod Office, 1308 Fifth Avenue East, Prince Albert, SK

Cost: There is a nominal fee of $10.00

RSVP: Please call 763-2455 to register.

God in our work: a theology of stewardship

Where is God in fundraising, in asking people for money, in discussions of wills and bequests and major gifts and diocesan or national campaigns? Where is God in strategizing around the institutional church’s economic survival?

The Standing Committee on Philanthropy of the Anglican Church of Canada has been wrestling with these questions in the past few months. The result is a statement of theological rationale (pdf). For a background explanation behind the statement, click here.

Ordination of Stephen Harnish

All are invited to the Ordination of Stephen Harnish

When: Fri, March 18, 7pm – 8pm

Where: St. Andrew's Church in Shellbrook

Click here for a map to St Andrew's Church

 



To Save a Life film raises awareness about suicide

A few weekends ago we had over 700 people come to an event we planned to raise awareness in our community about Suicide and Teen Pregnancy; over 500 of them being teens and young adults.  Now we are being invited to do a similar presentation on Reserves, and other Communities in Northern Saskatchewan, filling high school auditoriums and community halls.  'Wow,' is all I can say.   If you would have asked me two years ago if this was possible, I would have said, 'absolutely not.'

Click to read more ...

A statement on Libya from the Primate

Archbishop Fred Hiltz has issued this statement regarding the protests and conflict in Libya.